Depths
"You two sure don't waste any time do you?" Zatanna looked around the newly furnished nursery at Wayne Manor along with Dick when they came by to visit before the mission. It had only been a week since Selina found out she was pregnant and Bruce and Selina were already preparing for the newest arrivals
"Well I was going to wait until I found out what we were having but Bart already told Bruce so I figured why wait and absolutely love the names" Selina smiled
"I bet considering the names over the cribs" Dick looked at the bubble lettered names over the cribs in blue and pink, Damien and Helena
"I bet Bruce was the one to name Damien and Selina was the one to name Helena right" Stephanie asked to Tim
"Well Bruce would go for a more serious name" he shrugged
"That's because were men I don't go for mussy cottony names like Helena" Jason crossed his arms while sitting on a rocking chair in the corner of the room next to a bookshelf
"And what's wrong with Helena?" Zatanna put her hands on her hips
"Nothing really it just sounds like something Mom would name her daughter" Jason shrugged, he called Bruce and Selina his parents too since his own weren't real parents either
"Be careful Jason or you'll get stuck with the first diaper change" Dick smirked as some of the others in the room laughed at Jason's embarrassment
"Yeah right! I wouldn't even do that if I had my own child" he huffed
"So you're going to stick your wife with all this?" Selina narrowed her eyes
"It was a rhetorical situation I doubt I'd even narrow myself down to one woman" he smirked
"I'll be sure to tell your future wife that bro" Tim nudged him on the side
"So what did Bruce think of all this, I can't picture him decorating a nursery" Stephanie frowned at the thought
"Yes it's really s shame but after I showed him he likes it, he said it suits well for infants"
"That's more than I expected from a man that didn't have any experience with babies" Zatanna thought
"I kno—" Dick was saying until a black haired girl put him into a bear hug
"DICK!" Cassandra smiled "You really are here!"
"Yes and could you loosen your grip please" he smiled down at her and she nodded stepping back a bit "So how was school?"
"As good as school can be I guess"
"I know the feeling" Jason mumbled
"School isn't that bad guys" Dick lifted an eyebrow at them but they all sent him odd looks
"You're lucky for such a good fighter or I wouldn't idolize you because of that comment" Cassandra smirked
"Well excuse me for caring about education" he huffed
"Wouldn't expect anything else from the valedictorian of the family" Zatanna smiled
"Why are we talking about school, Dick are you here to help me train again?" Cassandra asked hopefully
"Sorry can't do it today" he shook his head watching her deflate "I have to go on a mission with the team later, I only stopped by to visit Mom and Dad"
"Darn it!"
"But you have Mom, Jason, Tim, and Stephanie here to train you why do you always want me to do it?"
"Because you were Black Bat and he was my favorite hero!"
"So was Jason and Tim at one point" Dick looked over to his brothers
"Yeah but they weren't near as good as you were"
"HEY!" Jason and Tim yelled offended making some of them laugh
"True" Dick nodded
"And pretty soon I'll be able to take your old mantle too right?"
"You still have to finish training thought" Selina told her
"But after that you'll be able to go on patrol with Dad" Dick told her
"Awesome maybe I can go on that mission with you today then!"
"Uh" Dick faltered "Sorry but I already have enough help maybe some other time ok"
"Good enough"
"And speaking about the mission I think you'll have to leave soon" Zatanna looked to the clock on the wall
"Right" Dick nodded
"Make sure to be careful ok Dick" Selina told him
"Don't worry so much mom, seriously what could go wrong?" Dick smiled
A few hours later
Rocket was doing chest compressions on Nightwing below her "28….29…30!" she saw it wasn't working then went down to give him Mouth to Mouth but that didn't work either so got up sadly "He's dead"
"They're both gonna end up our responsibility aren't they?" Mal talked to Batman watching a few holographic screens that had Speedy and Impulse's pictures on them
"Not necessarily" he told him turning around "Bart, Impulse is staying with Jay and Joan Garic in Central City. Roy the original Speedy is recuperating at royal memorial hospital in Star City, Arrow's both Green and Red are watching over him"
Mal "Uh-huh their both gonna end up our responsibility" he turned to Conner
"Doesn't everything? And where are we on identifying the lights new partner?" Conner asked
"That's Nightwing's job but as of yet no progress"
"Conner!" Cassie came up to him with a plate of cookies "M'gann and I just finished making some of these can you tell me what you think" handing him one
"Sure" he put one into his mouth "Wow they are really good did you make them on your own?"
"Mostly M'gann showed me some of the steps. I thought I would choke on them if made them on my own "
"If only" M'gann muttered coming into the room
RECOGNIZED: NIGHTWING B-01, ROCKET B-09
"Time for debriefing" Dick announced once he appeared
"Raquel!" M'gann flew up to her
"Hey M'gann" Raquel greeted her as they hugged "Sorry I havent been around in a while"
"It's alright but why are you with Nightwing couldn't you have come here on your own?" La'gann asked, he had come in after m'gann did
"Oh he came over to my place to fill me up on some stuff about the mission before we came here"
"Ok Gamma squad listen up" Nightwing got their attention while pulling up a image on the holographic screen "The mission is Cape Canaveral covert op to safeguard the first Earth-Mars com. There are people out there that don't even like the idea of aliens and will do anything to scrub this launch"
"But that's why we're here" Rocket comforted M'gann "Because not all of us feel that way"
"So why are you going?" Mel asked
"Let's just say after running this team for a year, I'm peckish for a little action"
"And we are officially at T-Minus 1 hour and counting, uh now we do have time for a few questions "A spokes person asked at the Cape Canaveral launch while standing next to Martian Manhunter and Superman flew in the air above them waiting for J'onn .Cat grant raised her hand but was interrupted by Gordon Godfay "Yes miss…..Godfey.." the spokesperson sighed in annoyance
"Ms. Ferris maybe I'm not the only one drinking the space cola but has anyone asked whether the earth wants more communication with aliens?"
"Our galaxy contains billions of stars yet Earth and Mars are warmed by the same sun, the Martian's aren't aliens their our next door neighbors. Isn't it time we got to know them?"
"So that's your plan" Gordon turned to the camera "Barrow a cup of Martian sugar while our world is being invaded!"
J'onn interrupted him "If I may" walking to the microphones "All the more reason both worlds must stand together, this satellite represents a new spirit of cooperation between sister planets. The beginning of alliance that can protect us all"
"Thank you Martian Manhunter" Ms. Ferris walked back to the microphones "On behalf of Ferris aircraft and the Earth-Mars communication initiative we couldn't agree more"
J'onn nodded and flew into the sky
"That's it!" Gordon yelled "No more questions for the mighty Manhunter, tell old G. Gordon that name doesn't sound ominous to any decent earthling and did you notice the Kryptonian is not taking any questions at all!"
"Are you sure we shouldn't stay to assist the team in this mission?" J'onn asked as he and Clark were flying away from Cape Canaveral
"I'm sure they can handle it, and if we stay we might be surrounded by more press asking questions. That's why I didn't go down there I didn't want to deal with Gordon"
"I see your point"
Nightwing and Rocket were looking through their binoculars on their post for any suspicious activity "If nothing else, we have a nice view" Raquel commented
Dick pressed his com "Miss M, link us up"
"Link established"
"Good begin aerial sweep of the cape's perimeter"
"Hey boss I'd be happy to join M'gann on that assignment" La'gann asked making m'gann roll her eyes a bit
"Negative lagoon boy your right where I need you giving me maximum coverage, in the water, on land and in the air in case there's any attempt on sabotage"
"And so I'm stereotyped as the water guy" La'gann sighed as he swam through the ocean "Again! Meanwhile she flies the friendly with Super ex-boyfriend. Neptune's beard!" he huffed swimming faster
A few feet away in the ocean came a large black and red ship cabled to a weapon's dock behind it. The cables let go letting the weapon's dick settle down on the ocean floor as the ship flew around and let multiple Black Manta soldiers out of its hatch. Some of the solders swam over to the dock and began firing it up while the others swam around to guard it "Missile launch is locked" the missile was aimed at the rocket launch "Were going in 5"
"T-Minus 52 minutes and counting" A scientist reported "All systems go for launch"
Inside the Bio-ship it was an awkward silence while M'gann was driving and Conner was looking at the computer screens in front of him until she finally spoke "So now were never talking again?" she glared at him
"Gee you read my mind"
"I don't have to read your mind to know how you feel Conner " giving him a smug look "But you're the one who broke up with me!"
"Don't pretend you don't know why" turning around in his chair to face her
"I know, I know you disapprove of how I use my psychic powers" putting her hand up to act as an invisible wall between them
"You mean how you abuse them! Ripping Intel from the minds of your victims! With no concern for what it does to their psyches!" glaring at her
"They're not victims! They're the bad guys!" Narrowing her eyes "That information is helping the team, the league the entire planet!"
"And leaving your victims in a catatonic state! It's not right M'gann! Your behaving no better than Simon!"
Her eyes widened "If you feel that strongly why don't you tell Nightwing, or the league?"
"Nightwing already knows M'gann!" her eyes widened again "He's tried to stop you too remember but you've been to blinded by your arrogance to listen. This hurts him too because it makes him remember about his talon days!"
"This has nothing to do with assassins!"
"That's not the point! I never told the league because I was hoping I mattered more to you to make you stop I didn't think you'd try to tamper with my own mind, try to make me forget I was upset with you" looking away in an angered tone
"C-Conner I'm so sorry about that"
"Sorry you did it? Or sorry you got caught?!" turning back to the computer "After all we'd been through how could you think I wouldn't recognize your touch inside my mind? Didn't you know what kind of betrayal I felt, to have you pervert it like that?!"
M'gann was starting to become saddened by his words shedding some tears until she remembered cassie "It couldn't have hurt that bad. I mean how replaceable I was, seeing you turned around and started seeing the rebound girl from Themyscira"
"Cassie is not my rebound girl. We didn't start dated until a year ago I doubt it would be the same with you"
Lagoon boy stopped swimming when he saw the soldiers of Black Manta "Whoa head's up menos, we got bad guys, Black Manta's troopers working on some kind of platform beneath the surface just off shore. I'm taking'em down!"
"Delay that, wait for backup" Nightwing ordered
"I'll scrounge a re-breather from the cargo hold and help the rookie out" Superboy answered
"Rookie!" La'gann glared "Neptune's beard! I don't need any help from the boy of steel!" La'gann grew his muscles and charged at the soldiers punching one into the ground
"Lagoon boy stand down!" Nightwing ordered
"Sorry your breaking up, kchhhkchkch"
"There's no static on the psychic link!" Nightwing glared
The soldiers began shooting at La'gann but he used a soldier to block the lasers then charged at them beating two to the ground them charged at more taking them down
"Were under attack" A soldier on the platform said "Arming missiles now, recommending phase 2 as precautioned" the missiles began getting ready as more Black Manta soldiers swam out of the ship with their blasters and headed for the surface
Rocket looked down from their post at the ocean "Company!" she put her arm around Nightwing and flew them both down to stand behind a wall for cover from their lasers
"Superboy, you have that re-breather?!"
"Negative! La'gann didn't restock!"
"Then take the helm! Miss Martian gill up and help Lagoon boy, Superboy we need cover fire down here"
"Acknowledged, Bio-ship reconfigured for manual flight" Miss Martian got up as Superboy took her seat and she morphed her cape off and formed gills on her neck then jumped out of a hole and formed a fish tail as she landed in the water "Lagoon boy I'm on my way!"
Some soldiers began firing up their own missile canons aimed at the target but the Bio-ship flew above them and fired lasers at them to knock them to the ground and destroy their missiles then flew around and started firing at the other soldiers
Nightwing and Rocket watched behind the wall as Superboy fired at the soldiers from the Bio-ship, Raquel saw most of the soldiers were down and got ready to fly up "That's our cue!" But she was pulled back down by Dick just as more lasers fired at the spot she was in
"I know you're not used to fighting in this kind of situation but are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
Lagoon boy knocked two more soldiers into the platform and was about to attack the solider in command when he was electrocuted from behind and when he collapsed it was revealed to be Kaldur "Launch"
"As you command, Kaldur'ahm" he nodded pushing a few buttons on the keyboard and one of the missiles fired up into the air heading right for the Rocket
Nightwing looked above the wall to see the missile coming but ducked when more lasers were fired at him
"Were on the wrong side of this wall" Raquel told him
"Superboy"
"On it!" Superboy flew the bio-ship around and fired a laser at the missile just before it could hit the rocket
Nightwing and Rocket turned at the sound of alarms from the Rocket and smoke began coming out of the platform below it, they turned to see a sign on the wall behind them that said: Warning! Extreme Fire Danger Blast Area
"We're really on the wrong side of this wall!" Raquel grimaced
Another Missile was fired at the Rocket but Superboy blasted it out of the sky before it could go too far so the soldiers began trying to shoot at the Bio-ship
"The troopers helmets are designed to enhance vision underwater" Nightwing got out a batarang with a small launch on his handle
"Yeah so?"
"So…" Nightwing fired the batarang into the sky and it exploded like a firework blinding the soldiers giving them time to jump over the wall and begin fighting
Two soldiers brought the unconscious La'gann to Kaldur "Sir you should have the honor of killing him" another gestured to Lagoon boy
Kaldur uncrossed his arms and waved him off "No, he's a perfect specimen for our partner. Take him to the flyer, if the mission fails rendezvous as planned" the two soldiers nodded taking La'gann away
"Our first missiles were shot down by the ground assault, our helmet's have become a liability"
"Launch our missiles, maximum ready to fire" Kaldur took off his helmet "I will take charge of the ground assault, personally" Kaldur swam up to toward the surface just as another missile was fired but it was shot out of the sky by the Bio-ship too
Nightwing ran at several soldiers with his erisma sticks taking them out easily as Rocket flew around grabbed some soldiers and throwing them into others to knock them unconscious and helping to fight on the ground a little too
When Raquel took out the last soldier she looked to Nightwing but her eyes widened, Dick lifted an eyebrow but then turned around to see Kaldur coming out of the water
M'gann swam to the missile platform hiding behind some plants when she looked up and saw Lagoon boy being taken into the ship by more soldiers "They're taking La'gann I'm going after him!"
"Priority is the missiles!...there are too many I'm not able to keep up"
M'gann seemed uncertain for a bit but then swam toward the platform dodging some of the lasers until her eyes began glowing and she sent a sonic wave to knock all the soldiers off their feet. Once soldier held onto the keyboard and pressed a large button just as M'gann and up and knocked him away with her fish tail, a missile was launched above her so she used her telekinesis to make it reverse its direction back toward the platform. She quickly swam away before it hit causing the platform to explode too but she was knocked away from the force of the explosion and unconscious
"Kaldur you don't want to do this!" Raquel tried to reason with him
"I believe I do" Kaldur got out his water bearers and formed a large wave behind him and making it crash into both of the heroes sending them back a few feet
The rocket began its launch, fire exploded out of the bottom of it letting it lift into the air, Kaldur's eyes narrowed at the sight "The mission may yet succeed" a small missile came out from his armor and fired at the Rocket
Nightwing and Rocket got up just as the missile past them; Nightwing quickly got out another batarang and launched it after the missile and it was fast enough to destroy the missile before it could hit the rocket letting him sigh in relief
"Nightwing behind you!" Rocket yelled she flew past him at Kaldur but was knocked away because of the large hammers he had made with his water bearers. Nightwing quickly got out his erisma sticks but they were knocked out of his hands by the hammers too so he got into a fighting position and aimed a punch at kaldur
Kaldur caught his arm between his own and his side just as he formed a sword with his water bearers and stabbed him straight through the heart"Join the others talon!" he hissed
Rocket got up and her eyes widened at the sight of Kaldur pulling the sword out of Dick and him stumble backwards "NIGHTWING!" she quickly ran up to him "I got you" helping him to the ground and treating him like he were made of glass. There was a large blood stair in the middle of his chest as he was hyperventilating "Can the renizal help you?" she asked hopefully
"T-th-this…has never….happen..ed…before…"
Kaldur looked up to the Rocket after he put his water bearers away "Move out, the mission is a failure" but above him the Rocket began exploding in a large blast of light, he widened his eyes before narrowing them "We are done here" he turned around and began walking away with his men
Rocket was doing chest compressions on Nightwing that had already closed his eyes. The Bio-ship came to a stop above them and Superboy jumped out running over to them as M'gann flew out of the water forming her regular Martian self and flying towards them. Conner and M'gann's eyes widened "I-I don't hear his heartbeat"
"28….29….30" Raquel bent down and began giving Dick Mouth to Mouth until she realized it was too late and got up sighing "He's dead"
Kaldur's ship flew back to Black Manta's. Kaldur got out from the back hatch once they were inside to meet his father with several other soldiers "Congratulations Kaldur'ahm you had quite a day, capturing the atlantien, killing a former teammate, destroying the com sat"
"My crew did not destroy the com sat father. It's rocket must have malfunctioned our victory was mere luck" Kaldur looked down in shame
"I don't believe In luck which is why I arrange to have a bomb within altitude sensors smuggled onto the com sat rocket days ago" Kaldur looked up surprise "This was your final test to see if you would take credit for what you had not accomplished"
"And what if I had succeeded?"
"Then another test would have awaited for it is not in success when true character is revealed but in failure" Black Manta took off his helmet "I'm quite proud of you my boy" he put a hand on his shoulder "Your ready for the next level"
RECOGNIZED: KID FLASH B-03, ARTEMIS B-07
"What happened! What the h*ll happened to him!" Wally yelled once they appeared at Mount Justice, Conner had called them about Dick
The angered tone from wally was not helping the situation most of the team was now in, the team members who were there were all mourning their leaders death, some of the bats were there like Tim and Stephanie but the others didn't want to show their grief In front of the other so had retreated to the Bat-Cave. Bruce and Selina had been hit the hardest since they had known Dick the longest
"Wally calm down first" Mal told him
"I-Is it true?" Artemis hoped it wasn't but from what it looked like she was wrong
Mal nodded slowly
"What happened?" Wally asked
"Kaldur, stabbed him straight through the chest" Conner looked away while comforting cassie and he looked down to see M'gann crying too when Garfield came over to her
"This is all my fault" Wally looked down in shame
"Wally don't say that" Artemis told him
"It is! If I had let you go on the mission maybe this wouldn't have happened! He could have used more back up from you to-"
"Wally you don't know that, this isn't anyone fault except Kaldur's" Artemis told him but he finally broke down along with her mourning the death of their little brother
"We'll find Lagoon boy, and Kaldur" Superboy hissed the last part when Mal came over letting Karen comfort Cassie
"No doubt, where's Raquel? She should be here" Mal looked around for her
Conner sighed "She went to tell Zatanna"
Raquel was leaning against some crates in a warehouse of Bludhaven's port looking at picture she had gotten out of her pocket. The picture was of the original members of the team a little while after Dick had retake the mantle of Black Bat, they were in their civilian forms on the couch, some of them were sitting on it but the others were in the back. Wally and Artemis were sitting on the left, Dick and Zatanna in the middle and Conner and M'gann on the right while Kaldur and herself were in the back above them all smiling into the camera. She looked at it sadly "Everything was so much better back than" she muttered to herself until she heard a sound and put it away and walked forward "Zatanna?"
"No" She turned to see Kaldur walk out from another hall of crates so she turned to him, Kaldur heard footsteps so turned to see Zatanna walk out in her civilian clothes, the three of them looked at each other for a minute when they heard more footsteps and a man with a hood over his head came out from the same path Zatanna did. The man pulled his hood off and revealed himself to be Richard Wayne AKA Nightwing alive and well
/Flashback/
Kaldur aimed his sword at Nightwing's chest but instead of stabbing him straight through his chest he made the water go around his torso and make it look like the sword went out the other end "Join the others talon" he hissed
Nightwing bit down on something in his mouth just as kaldur released him
"I-I don't hear his heartbeat" Conner said
When Raquel was helping Dick lay down she attached some fake blood to his chest
/End Flashback/
"Kaldur!" Raquel came up to him and hugged him "I missed you
"As did I Raquel" he hugged her too "I take it our rouse was successful"
She sighed "Almost too successful, the team and the league are in mourning" She turned to dick "Espeically your family. They may never forgive us"
He looked down in shame while Zatanna tried to comfort him
"And still only we 4 know the secret?" Kaldur asked
"This secret and the other that you've been under deep cover within Black Manta's organization since leaving the team. How's it go on that end?" Dick asked
"Successful as well I've proven my loyalty to my biological father he is moving me up the latter, bringing me closer to the light and their unknown partner"
"Not without cost kaldur. The com sat was not supposed to be destroyed and La'gann defiantly wasn't supposed to be captured" Dick told him
"It was the only way to save his life and maintain my cover"
"I'm not blaming you, none of us are" Raquel laid a hand on his shoulder "You've been forced to make impossible decisions like choosing to save the kroloteans on Malina Island.."
"Or saving my friends and I will find a way to help La'gann you have my word"
"So what now?" Raquel turned to Dick and Zatanna tightening her grip on Kaldur's hand. Zatanna got out a ring from her pocket and gave it to Dick so he could put it on his finger "Girl? Why are you giving bling to your dead boyfriend?"
Zatanna smiled "Glamour charm, one of my specialties. Psysio morphic spell"
"Wow" Raquel got a look at Dick "You look….exactly the same" she frowned
"Only to the 4 of us….and only us to everyone else he's a completely different person" his new look was shown on a barrel beside him that showed he now had dirty blond hair, sharp eyes and a narrowed face with a deeper voice
"Are you sure this thing won't crack because you know I'll have t fight with my fists" Dick looked to the ring on his hand
"Don't worry a shield forms over the gem if anything gets too close to it so nothing can harm it"
A beeper began going off on Kaldur so he stepped up "It is time"
Dick nodded turned to Zatanna and they gave each other a hug and a kiss "What could go wrong?" Dick told her
She chuckled "Don't say that" Raquel moved over laying a hand on her shoulder as Dick turned and walked over to kaldur at the end of the port while she and Raquel went out of the warehouse
Kaldur's ship came out of the water at the port that were standing on, He and Dick looked to each other before walking up inside. Zatanna and Raquel watched from the roof of the warehouse until the ship dived underwater again
"Did Dick think of a name?" Raquel asked
"Yeah…Renegade"
To be continued